RANDALL L. TOWNS

Oak Park, IL ***** ■ 773-***-**** (cell) ■ ac63sl@r.postjobfree.com

SUMMARY

A strategic learning and development executive with proven success delivering high-quality, learner focused, educational solutions within a condensed time frame for markets with complex needs and limited budgetary resources. Experience and expertise in instructional design, strategic planning, management of cross-functional teams, online learning development, operations/performance improvement, customization and brand management with a focus on new business development. A results-oriented leader who understands how to motivate teams to meet business objectives, by resolving conflicts, and eliminating obstacles. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS (AAOS), Rosemont, IL 2014 to 2018 Senior Manager, Instructional Design, Online Learning

Served as a member of the Education Leadership team of a multi-specialty organization

Implemented the organization’s first team of instructional designers in the design and development of learning and educational solutions based on adult learning principles and strategies

Developed a project management-training “boot camp” for all Education staff (110 employees) that resulted in a 25% reduction in the delivery time of products to market and created awareness of product status for informed decisions at all levels of the organization

Created a job task analysis used to develop a competency-based curriculum for practicing orthopaedic surgeons

Led a cross-functional team to design and develop an innovative multi-media eBook with continuing medical education (CME) credits; the first sustainable and consistent product development model established at the organization

Engaged membership volunteers in the development and implementation of the orthopaedic surgeon taxonomy used to tag and identify digital learning assets for easier access on the organization’s website and learning management platforms

Developed the infrastructure for the organization’s new Council on Education governance model which helped the organization to quickly identify the education needs of its sub-specialized members.

Led an internal team (12 people) of instructional designers, marketing specialists, and support staff who supported 10 content-centric specialty area education committees, generated viable product development options and delivered 19 online learning products to market in first year

Served as the project manager and the lead instructional designer in the development of the organizations first start-of-the-art online learning course the Musculoskeletal Oncology Review Course for orthopaedic residents; this course allowed the 154 residency programs who may not have faculty on staff to offer this specialized residency training to more than 3300 residents nationwide, eliminating the exorbitant costs of sending residents to an off-site course.

Led a cross-functional team tasked to streamline the Education Business Plan to evaluate new Education product development opportunities. Results: 50% less time allocated to the planning process.

NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION (NRA), Chicago, IL 1998 to 2012 The restaurant and foodservice trade association dedicated to developing, educating and promoting its diverse workforce and multi-faceted membership, accounting for nearly 500,000 restaurant businesses nationwide. Senior Manager of Academic Brands, Business Development, 2009-2012 Directed the academic curriculum brands, which set the guiding standards and competencies for excellence in culinary and restaurant management for high school students progressing in their careers to ultimately become seasoned industry professionals. This core business accounted for $12 million in revenue annually.

Led a team of 40+ internal/external subject matter experts (SMEs) to define 80% of the prerequisite skills required by the industry for restaurant management applicants

Increased sales 18% in the high school product market and 29% in the post-secondary and professional market by spearheading the launch of new products

RANDALL L. TOWNS page 2

Expanded brand sales by $400,000 in the first year in a previously untapped market of correction facilities by researching and identifying the needs of the market, positioning the brand to meet those needs and then building key relationships with the decision makers that led to a key organizational partnership.

Implemented system for stage-gating new opportunities and potential products. Reduced the number of unproductive project ideas submitted by 75%, while also reducing allocated resource hours to evaluate these ideas by 40%.

Director of Product Development, National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, 1998-2008

Directed a staff of six product development professionals and twenty external contractors in the design and development of print and online educational solutions that generated $35M in revenue

Managed a $1.5M annual development budget

Led the overhaul of the leading American food safety manager certification program by instituting the instructional design process into the brand’s product development. Results: Annual revenue increased from $16M to $30M. Conducted needs analysis of different markets, analyzed learners of the targeted audience to employ the appropriate learning strategies and then involved and engaged the industry throughout the development process

Created a paradigm shift in the industry from 15 hours to 8 hours in seat time for food safety training by promoting and proving to the regulatory community that the same learning could take place in one day versus two days of training

Improved the company’s development standard fivefold in a year’s time during the development of the new post-secondary restaurant management curriculum by strategically planning and then expanding the development team through external contractors while upholding the company’s standards in quality. Results: Program was delivered on time and under budget and exceeded prior revenues 50% in the first year

Served as lead instructional designer on the first custom online learning course that reduced food safety infractions 30% for the client while creating a template for future online customizations

Sold an unprecedented $1.6 million of a custom training solution for the third largest quick-service restaurant chain in the world. Established a partnership with the client’s key decision makers and demonstrated the proposed solution would exceed their training needs while improving operational performance

Saved the organization $70,000 in development costs and improved brand profits 20% by reverse engineering its restaurant management professional job task analysis (JTA) so it could be utilized as the introductory standard in restaurant management for high school students

Reduced the competitor's responsible alcohol service training market share in a targeted, price-sensitive market 40%, while increasing sales 30% by researching, analyzing and evaluating the competition's strengths and weaknesses and creating a more market-specific, customer friendly and instructionally sound training product

NUMETRIX, Inc., Westchester, IL 1995 to 1997

Senior Solutions Instructor, 1995-1997

Co-manager of the organization’s profit-centered training team, which generated up to $500,000 annually trained and engaged clients on how to best implement and utilize Numetrix’s customized software

Developed and delivered standard and customize software training solutions

Implemented creative techniques and incentives for retraining clients

Worked with the sales team to negotiate training and support for customers EDUCATION

PURDUE UNIVERSITY, West Lafayette, IN

Master of Science Degree in Industrial Technology

Concentration: Instructional Design, Purdue University Masters Fellowship Recipient Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership

Contact this candidate